NES Classic’s wired controller is too short — MyArcade has a wireless solution

Above: Just because you're playing games from when you were a kid doesn't mean you need to sit on the floor in front of the CRT.

Image Credit: MyArcade

Nintendo is getting ready to capitalize on your nostalgia with the launch of the NES Classic Edition console. That device is a miniature version of the original 8-bit console, and it comes with 30 NES games. But you may find out that this throwback device doesn’t live up to your modern-gaming standards, which is why peripheral makers are already stepping up to serve your needs.

MyArcade, a retro-gaming accessory manufacturer, is rolling out a line of NES Classic products to solve one of the problems most people are likely to encounter: the NES Classic controller’s cord length. The cable for the gamepad is only about 36 inches long, and that’s going to force most people to have to sit on their floor to play their games. Now, I know that’s reminiscent of what my life playing NES was like back in 1989, but I’m 33 now, and my left knee is bad.

This is where MyArcade wants to step in to help. It has products like the $10 Extender Cable, the $15 Gamepad Classic, and the $20 Gamepad Pro. These various accessories enable you to not only bring in a second player to the NES Classic action, but they also give you the option to sit further away from the TV thanks to their 10-foot cable or wireless options.

The Gamepad Pro, for example, is wireless with 75 hours of battery life. It can work up 30 feet away, and it is also compatible with the Wii and Wii U and has a number of several more buttons than the standard NES joypad. If you want something a little more faithful, MyArcade also has the GamePad Classic. This features only the D-pad and then A, B, Start, and Select buttons — although it’s wireless and has a rounded, ergonomic design.

Of course, if you want something that looks and feels exactly like the original NES Gamepad, you’ll have to go through Nintendo. It is selling second controllers for $10 through retailers like Target — but yeah, they have extremely short cords as well.